Types of aquarium plants

Aquarium is something that can revive and decorate the interior. The main aspect in its design is plants. If the flora in the artificial reservoir is formed correctly, then this is not only a guarantee of aesthetic attractiveness, but also the health of the biosystem.

Plants in an aquarium are considered light. Similar to vegetation on land, aquatic vegetation absorbs CO2, while producing oxygen and saturating the water column with it. In addition, aquarium plants qualitatively neutralize the waste products of fish, cope with nitrates and phosphates. Provided that the aquarium flora is correctly selected and placed correctly, one can count on the biological equilibrium of the system, as well as maintaining the required amount of O2 in water.

Aquarium flora can be considered the best water indicator of the aquarium. Plants that are characterized by splendor, beauty and bright color indicate a healthy world in the reservoir. Vegetation is very important for representatives of the fauna that live in an artificial reservoir. It can serve as a home for them, additional food, shelter and a spawning area.

Currently, there is a wide variety of aquarium vegetation. In order for the different species to get along well, you will need to properly place them and take care of them.

All aquarium vegetation can be divided into the following groups:

• existing at the bottom of the tank or near a water surface; an example of this group may be Bryophytes;
• freely floating in the water column or at its surface; often these representatives of the flora are fixed in the soil, they include Bubbleweed, Hornwort, Rosyankov, Ryaskov;
• free floating on the surface - this is Azolla, Water and Red, Pontederia, Salvinia;
• growing at the bottom, blooming under water - These include Naiad, Zanikellievs; some representatives may bring to the water surface a flower stalk with a flower, for example, Vallisneria, Watercranus, Urut;
• grow in the substrate, forming leaves and flowers - These are Water Lily, Aponogetonovye;
• wetland and coastal representativesthat quite strongly rise above the water surface; An example of this group of plants is Aroid, Sedge, Echinodorus.

Depending on the territory of planting, aquarium vegetation is divided into the following types:

• foreground (Anubias, water buttercup, bucephalandre, Marsilia, Blixa, glossostigma, mosses and others);
• middle ground (cryptocorin, carolina cabomba, anubis, ludwig, rotala, echinodorus);
• background - These are tall, long-stemmed plants (hornwort, alternantera, aponogeton, bacopa).

Aquarium plants are not always algae, they often include higher flower representatives that have adapted to life in the aquatic environment. These specimens bloom, but in the conditions of artificial ecosystems this process happens quite rarely.

Let us consider in more detail the names and descriptions of common flowering aquarium plants.

• Sagittaria. This plant is considered an arrowhead from the family Chastukhovyh. The instance is represented by bright green foliage that looks like a bush. Sagittaria is characterized by unpretentiousness, ease of reproduction, as well as an attractive appearance. The rhizome of the plant has a white color, tuberous, knotted form. The foliage is braid-like, sometimes petiolate. The color of the succulent leaves is saturated green. Flowers are made up of wide white petals. Containing this type of vegetation is quite simple, as the arrowhead feels good in alkaline and hard water.

• Krinum. This representative belongs to the Amaryllis family, so it can live both on land and in water. He has excellent ability to adapt to various environmental conditions. Krinum has a long, dense narrow foliage, which can reach 200 centimeters. According to many aquarists, the flowers of this instance are the most beautiful of their kind. Usually shoots with flowers come out of the water surface, their color can be very different. The popularity of Krinum is due to its unpretentiousness, as well as longevity.

• Limnobium. This representative of the aquatic family is also called the Canadian Elodea, the common wallisneria. The plant refers to floating on water, it can be presented in the form of shoot-bearing and spongy. The representative of the flora grows throughout the year, it is often used as a shade for other inhabitants of the reservoir. Under appropriate conditions, limnobium can grow rapidly. By cleaning the water from suspensions and filtering it, Canadian Elodea benefits the aquarium.

• Purple lobelia. It is large, so it is often grown by experienced aquarists. However, there are dwarf forms, which are easier to care for. This plant belongs to the long-stemmed, has an olive-green color.The oval foliage is arranged alternately, its upper part is painted in light green, and the lower part is reddish. The root system is poorly developed. The name of love was obtained due to the presence of purple flowers, which are released when semi-immersed in water.

For normal life, he needs a regular water change, a temperature of 22 to 26 degrees above zero and a hardness in the range of 5 to 15. Poor lighting can cause yellowing of the plant.

• Rotala indian. This is an angiosperm small-flowered plant. This round-leaved representative of the flora can have several varieties, which differ from each other by the number of foliage in the whorls. The stem of the rotala is long, it can reach about 0, 2 meters. Leaves are green with a bright bottom. This beautiful plant has the opportunity to decorate the aquarium with its presence. Aquarists do not have to make much effort and spend a lot of time growing rotala.

• Cinema. Hygrophilous demorphic is recognized as one of the most popular aquarium plants. This is a long-stem unpretentious representative of the flora, which is characterized by a decorative appearance. The normal development of cinema occurs in both acidic and hard water. A fast-growing hardy plant reaches a height of 0.3 meters. Its foliage is similar to fern, it is painted in a saturated green color.

• Limnophila. It is usually recommended to grow novice aquarists. This is an unpretentious and very beautiful representative of the flora. Fluffy branches of lymphonils have some similarities with openwork balls, which are painted in a juicy green color. The grass is characterized by a long erect stem. Sedentiflower lymphonyl can exist at temperatures from 18 to 30 degrees above zero and water hardness from 6 to 12.

• Micrantemum "Monte Carlo" characterized by the presence of long roots, which are able to grow into the soil without floating to the surface. The diameter of the foliage of this plant is about 3 millimeters. Planting this specimen in an aquarium is a guarantee of the natural look of the ecosystem. Micrantentemum does not require intensive lighting and a high concentration of fertilizers. In the growth phase, the plant forms a dense rug, which is able to take root on a stone or snag.

• Naiad. This plant is considered a persistent and unpretentious representative of the flora, which is able to form dense thickets. For this reason, it can be advantageously used for fish spawning and as a substrate. There are no special decorative qualities in a nyas.

The stem of the fine-toothed mollusk is characterized by subtlety and branching, it can reach about 100 cm in length. The foliage is oblong green or reddish in size, 4 cm in size. The edges of the leaves are framed by small spikes.

• Pennywort. Hydrocotyl is considered a hygrophilous representative of the umbrella family. Its main characteristics include rapid growth and unpretentiousness in content. This plant is used as a decorative for the aquarium and the coast of the reservoir. Such a bright lawn has the ability to protect the fish from the harm of sunlight and to shelter fry, which are not able to protect themselves. The pennywort has a long stalk about 50 centimeters long. The foliage is roundish in light green, having a diameter of 4 centimeters. Leaflets have some similarities with water lilies.In the flowering phase, the plant is covered with small white flowers.

• Mexican Oak or Trichocoronis It is an unpretentious plant, which, under optimal conditions for it, can grow and become an amazing background in the aquarium. The Mexican oak tree has a stem, light green leaves of an oval shape, no more than 10 millimeters in length. Reaching the water surface, this representative of the flora can bloom with white flowers. Trichocoronis is characterized by rapid growth, therefore, needs to be trimmed.

• Alternantera. This plant is popular with aquarists, as it is an externally attractive long-stemmed specimen. Its foliage is painted in bright shades, from pink to dark purple. Scourges of the alternanters spread along the water surface, as they are long. This representative of the flora is able to grow throughout the year. If the plant is completely immersed in liquid, then its growth slows down.

• Hemianthus Cuba - This is the most popular groundcover inhabitant of aquariums. It is considered a worthy part of the underwater lawn. When the cube chemianthus grows, it can form dense green carpets that adorn the aquarium bottom. Plant height can reach from 3 to 6 centimeters.

• Hydrocotyl tripartite. This is a popular aquarium representative of the flora, which is widely used in the design of aquariums. Growing, the plant creates a dense green rug. Often it is used to design the middle part of the aquarium.

Aquarium ferns are considered one of the most beautiful, therefore, popular plantings in artificial ecosystems. This type of vegetation is a wonderful shelter for aquarium residents, as well as an additional source of oxygen.

The description of these plants indicates that they perfectly adapt to existence in an artificial reservoir.

Consider the most common ferns.

• Marsilia Krenata. This type of plant requires planting in the depth of the substrate. On the stalk of the fern there are many small branches with leaves up to 30 millimeters in size. Bright green color makes Marsalia a real decor of the ecosystem. This representative of the flora grows well, being completely immersed in water, and also does not show whimsicality to the rigidity and acidity of the liquid. However, he prefers to exist in low light.

• Bolbitis characterized by a stem that grows horizontally. For this reason, the leaves of the plant have an unusual horizontal arrangement. The stems and petioles of the leaves are covered with golden scales, due to which the fern looks very beautiful. The length of bolbitis usually reaches 0.6 meters, with each sheet may have a thickness of about 20 centimeters. The leaf is hard, pinnate with a dark green or neon color. For good survival of the plant and its normal growth, the roots should not be immersed in the soil.

• Azolla Caroline. Fern is able to develop well on the water surface. Several plants together carpeted surface. On the stalk of the fern is fragile and delicate foliage. Parts that are above the water have a blue-green color, and immersed in water have a pinkish-green color.Fern is able to develop exclusively in the warm season, in winter it falls into hibernation.

• Lomariopsis. This is a common aquarium plant, which consists of a thin thallus. Petals are wide with a round shape. Fern consists of a transparent dark green fabric. Lomariopsis is considered an undemanding plant, which does not create difficulties when leaving.

Aquarium algae are considered the simplest plants. They can have a variety of sizes, shapes and colors.

Algae in the aquarium can be of the following types:

• floating on the water surface;
• those that are attached to the substrate.

In addition to harmful algae, for example, black beard, diatom, green spots, bunches, in artificial ecosystems you can also find beautiful specimens.

• Giant wallisneria. This is a large species of algae, which should be kept exclusively in a large aquarium. Planting should be carried out near the back wall. Vallisneria is characterized by a rich dark green color.

• Riccia. This is a floating species of algae that feels great in water of moderate warmth. The plant is often used as a spawning substrate for fish breeding and for sheltering their fry. Increased water hardness can cause algae to grow slowly. The optimum temperature indicator for richia is considered to be plus 22 degrees.

• Hornwort submerged. This type of algae belongs to perennials. It floats on the water surface, as it has no roots. The stem of the plant is long, needle-type and rather small. This alga is considered ideal for aquarium maintenance, usually fry are hidden in it. Hornwort loves bright lighting, feels great in moderately warm and cold aquariums.

• Spherical cladophore is a decorative representative of a freshwater aquarium. The structure of the plant is composed of green filamentous algae that intertwine and form into a dense ball. In an artificial ecosystem, a plant can grow up to 6 centimeters. In an aquarium, the cladophore should be placed at the bottom, where in the morning it releases O2. Contain algae is in cool water with a temperature of about +20 degrees.

Today you can find a lot of home aquariums, dominated by mosses. Such popularity is justified by bright decorative qualities, lack of whimsical care, as well as a wide species diversity. The use of mosses is an opportunity to realize various ideas in the form of beautiful landscapes of the underwater kingdom.

Aquarium moss can be of the following classes:

• anthocerotic with plate thallus;
• hepatic, which is characterized by tenderness and small size;
• leaf-stem is considered the most numerous class.

Most often, aquarists grow several plants in their ecosystems.

• Triangular moss. This plant is characterized by beauty and unpretentiousness. It is represented as a green equilateral triangle. This moss grows well in the substrate and has average growth rates.
• Moss flame. The originality of this representative of the flora lies in the fact that it grows in a wavy manner and exclusively in the vertical direction, resembling a flame. Among other mosses, it is distinguished by a more saturated green color. The flame found its application in the formation of the "forest landscape", it is considered an excellent option for both the background and the central plan.
• Phoenix. This moss looks like a frozen fountain. Its growth is concentrated from the center in different directions. Its use is a decent imitation of a bump in a tank. Phoenix grows slowly, but at the same time grows strongly to stones and snags.
• Javanese moss recognized as the most common.It is characterized by low requirements for lighting, water performance and care. It can grow outside the substrate, namely on driftwood, stone and any other surface.
• Christmas moss no less popular among aquarists than the previous one. It has a branched herringbone structure. The plant is also characterized by unpretentiousness.

After buying an aquarium, its owner raises the question of what kind of vegetation to plant in it. And this is not surprising, because it will not be so easy to determine whether these are red or green plants, rare or common, meristemic or undersized. However, accident workers should remember one thing - for beginners, unpretentious plants will become the best options.

A worthy option for a beginner aquarist will be the following vegetation:

• duckweed, richchia;
• hygrophil;
• hornwort;
• echinodorus;
• mosses of different types;
• Anubias.

Some plants are not whimsical to water indicators and can grow and develop normally in hard water. The most common representatives of the flora, loving these conditions, include cryptocorynes, anubis, Javanese moss.

Plants in an aquarium do not always need a lot of light to grow well. Some representatives of the flora carry out normal life in the shade.

• Anubis Barter. This plant is considered one of the most beloved by aquarists, as it does not create difficulties when leaving. It can grow in a wide temperature range. Her bright green leaves look great in the background and foregrounds of the tank.
• African water fern is a great option for a medium sized aquarium. For normal development, the plant needs warm fresh water and poor lighting. It cannot be grown in the ecosystem in which goldfish, koi, cichlids live.
• Java Fern characterized by wide green foliage sticking out in the water column. This is a worthy option for beginner aquarists, since it can grow in water at any temperature and performance, in addition, it does not need a lot of light. Java growth is slow, with a maximum height of 0.35 meters.
• Green Hygro. Green hardy representative of the flora is characterized by rapid growth, therefore, needs to be pruned.

When launching a new aquarium, it is recommended to plant fast-growing representatives of the flora in it. Such specimens absorb organic matter from water, while forming a biological equilibrium. Often fast-growing aquatic vegetation is unpretentious.

Read more about the types of aquarium plants in the next video.